Beit Iba

Beit Iba, Sunday, 10.9.06 AMObservers: Zvia S, Rachel A (reporting) 08:00 Beit IbaTraffic flowing at the checkpoint. No lines, no detainees, While we are there three students who tried to bypass from Nablus to Tulkarm, are brought in. Males aged 18-25 are still not allowed to exit Nablus. The students who tried to bypass on a dirt track are studying agriculture in Tulkarm, so they say. They could not get to lessons today if they followed the army’s instructions. Taxi drivers who fight over passengers coming to Nablus, are making the usual chaos and only one of them is brought to the pen, in what seems to be a game. He waits for cigarettes from whoever is willing to give. The checkpoint and surroundings is full of filth, bottles, cigarette packs and whatever choking the sides. Despite that, and compared to previous occasions of recent months, there is a sense of easing of checks and atmosphere. Zvia brought a lot of sacks of clothes of all sorts which were welcomed happily by the taxi drivers. 09:30 Jit JunctionWe count 25 cars waiting at the checkpoint. According to the soldier, they crossed the line and he is waiting for them to back up. How are 25 vehicles to back up? We’ll see how long it takes. We didn’t wait. A soldier, named P., inquired about our motivation and the conditions of our employment, but we didn’t have time to satisfy his curiosity. Whoever goes through there and meets P. – try encouraging him to develop his thoughts in the right directions.